Tuchel urges parents to let children stay up for England's last-16 World Cup clash

Thomas Tuchel is appealing to parents across England to keep their children up past bedtime for the Three Lions’ FIFA World Cup 2026 last-16 clash against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium on Sunday night, with kick-off scheduled at 1am BST on Monday.

The England manager made the plea in the aftermath of a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last 32, a result sealed by two goals from Harry Kane. The late turnaround secured England’s place in the round of 16 and set up a high-profile meeting with co-hosts Mexico.

“Let them watch football,” Tuchel told reporters after the victory. “There’s so much school to go to, but the World Cup is every four years. There will be a big, big match on in four days. We need the support of everyone, and especially of the children.”

In an ironic twist, Tuchel himself missed Mexico’s last-32 win over Ecuador, in which El Tri advanced to set up the tie with England. A one-hour weather delay in Mexico City pushed the game late, and the England boss — who admitted to an unusually early bedtime during the tournament — was already asleep before the match resumed.

“I was happy to watch the first half and then it wasn’t on, and I slept at 10 o’clock,” he said. “Very unusual for me, but I have somehow a crazy early bedtime during this World Cup and I didn’t see it. I saw the result, of course, and I saw that they didn’t concede, and it will be a tough one.”

Tuchel will now turn his attention to studying Mexico ahead of Sunday’s encounter at the iconic Azteca Stadium. Kane, who has hit form at a crucial moment with his brace against DR Congo, will be central to England’s hopes of progressing to the quarter-finals.